Garment-fastener.



N. C. EDWARDS. GARMENT FASIEN'ER.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. i3. I9IT 1,279,525. 4 Patentedsept.- 24,1918.

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N. c. EDWARDS.

@ARMI-:NT FASTENER.

APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 13, 19H.

Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

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NORA CLEDWARDS, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK;

GARMENT-FASTENER.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NORA C. EDWARDS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and'State' of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garment-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a garment fastener and more particularly to a fastener for supporting a skirt on a shirt waist.y It is the object of this invention to provide a fastener for this purpose which is simple and inexpensive in construction, which can be easily and conveniently applied forsupporting a skirt on a shirt waist, and which permits the connection between the skirt and shirt waist to be effected without pinning, sewing or forming a casing ony the shirt waist. v

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the preferred form of garment fastener embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar vview of the supporting plate forming one member of my improved fastener with portions of the attaching belt applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the clamp forming part of my invention. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections showing this fastener applied to a shirt waist and skirt, the section of the fastener being` taken on the correspondingly t numbered lines in Fig. 1. y Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified; construction of my invention. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same showing it applied to al shirt waist and skirt. Fig.- 8 isa perspective view showing another form of garment fastener embodying my improvements. Fig. 9 is a. vertical section ofthe same showing it applied to a-shirt waistand skirt.. Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views of a supporting plate and clamp showing still another'variation in the construction of the garment fastener containing my improvements. Fig. 12 is a vertical section showing the last mentioned construction applied to a shirt waist and skirt. f v

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout 4the several cured about the shirt waist at or adjacent v Specification of LettersPatent.` Patented. Seph, 1918,. Application iea February 13,1917. seria1N0-14a4a6, i

tothe ywaisty 'lineso that the skirt may be suspended from-the same,v andv afcl'amp whereby the supporting plate is secured in' a definite position on theVV shirt waistlsaid clamp havinga friction-clamping or plateembracing portion. In the `preferred con'- structlon ofmy *inventionV shown in" Figs. l-5, the supporting plate 1 is'of substantially oblong form Iand adapted to be heldv on thercentral part of the back of the shirt waist 20 at or adjacent the waist line preferablyV by means of a belt composed of two sections 2,. 3 .which have their rear ends secured in' vertical slots@ formed in Opposite ends of the supporting plate while their front ends are connectedfonv the-front side of the shirt waist by means of a buckle 5.

The 'supporting plate kis Aprovided with' a horizontal `upf'ier supporting edge 6, a low'ver.l liori'zontalgripping edge 7 a longitudinal ,opening or slot 8 and two upwardly projecting Stop lngsQl arranged atopposite ends of the upper'- edge of this plate. 4This 'supporting plate may be. constructed of any suitable material but preferably is formed integrally" ing lengthwise beyond they ends of the outerv` jaw7 as shown in'Figs. l and 3.

After the supporting4 plate has been'applied to the waist at pthebackfthereof by means of the belt, the lower'central part .of the waist is folded ror doubled upwardly around the lower gripping'edge ofthe supporting plate and held definitely in this position on the supportingplate b'y means .of the clamp which is slipped upwardly on ythat part of the shirt waist which yis folded around the supporting platel so 'that ythis clamp extends across the `lower edge of the supporting plate and its outer jaw bears:

against the folded part of the shirt waist which isl arranged onl the outer side of Vthe supporting plate while the inner jaw thereofbears against that part of the shirt waist engaging with 'the inner` side of `the `supside of the supporting plate and forms a guide which serves to direct the clamp upwardly on this plate until the clamp properly embraces the folded part of the shirt waist and the plate lying between the same. After the clamp has been thus applied to the shirt waist `and the supporting plate, the

loose or free edge of the folded part of the shirt waist drops downwardly on the outer side of the outer jaw of the clamp and lies close to the latter. The rear part of the shirt waist is now firmly gripped frictionally between the supporting plate and the clamp and the supporting plate is held in a definite position on the shirt waist so as to form a strong andreliable support for the skirt 12 which is to lbe suspended from ythe su porting plate. This suspensionmay be e ected in various ways, for instance, by means of hooks 18 secured to the inner side of the upper. part of the skirt and engaging over the upper edge `of the supporting plate, as shown in'Figs. 4 Vand "5. These hooks are prevented` from slipping off opposite ends of the supporting plate by means of the stop lugs 9 which limit the movement of these hooksabout the waist line and thereby confine the skirt in its proper position on the kbody of the wearer.

with a part of the waist lying on the lowerv side of the slot or elongated opening in the supporting plate. In applying this clamp tothe supporting plate for the purpose of gripping the folded part of the shirt waist between the same one of these locking lips is first engaged with the lower side or edge of the slot of the supporting plate while the clainpv is iiran inclined position and then the latter is swung upwardly on the first described locking lips as a fulcrum until the free end of the clamp has been raised sufficiently to bring the same parallel with the supporting plate and permit of engaging the other locking lip also with the lower side of the slot in the supporting plate, thereby causing the adjacent part of the shirt waist to be doubled or folded upwardly around the lower part of the supporting plate and to be securely gripped between the clamp and plate for holding the latter effectively against displacement. In order toavoid the formation of coinparatively sharp edges at the outer ends of the locking lips which otherwise might cut the shirt waist, each of these locking lips is provided at its outer end with an upwardly turned guard flange or lug 15 which prevents a comparatively wide area for engagenient with the shirt waist, and thereby avoids injuring the same. This clamp Acomprising the inner and outer jaws and the .locking lips and guard flanges is preferably constructed integrally from a single piece of fieXible material, such as spring brass.

k1When this fastener isk applied about the waist of aperson, the supporting plate is curved more or less to conform to the shape of the body at the waist line and'in this manner an additional gripping effect of these members is produced on the shirt waist between the same, particularly between the inner jaw and the lower part of the supporting plate, which further aids in securing the supporting plate to the shirt waist and forms areliable support for the skirt which is suspended thereon.

If desired, my improved garment fastener may be constructed as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which case the supporting plate 16 is provided on the lower side of its longitudinal slot 17 with a .plurality of inwardly projecting locking lugs'or lips 18 and the substantially U-shaped clamp is provided in its inner jaws 19 with a plurality of ,Openings 21 each of which is adapted to receive one of the locking lugs 18 while itsfront jaw is composed of two sections22 arranged at opposite ends of the clamp.

In the modified construction of my invention shown in `Figs". 8 and 9, the supporting plate is provided with longitudinal corrugations 23 and the clampv has its inner jaw 24 provided with corrugations 25 which are adapted to fit the corrugat'ions of the supporting plate and its outer aw is divided into three sections 26 which are arranged equidistant lengthwise of thc clamp.

Instead of providing the supporting` plate with a longitudinal slot, as shown in Figs. 1 5, the modified form of plate 27, shown in Fig. 10 may be provided with one or more openings 28 and the inner jaw Q9 of the clamp, as shown in Fig. 11, may be pro-V vided with rone or more outwardly projecting teats or projections 30 each of which is adapted to be interlocked with one of the openings 28 of the supporting plate, and this clamp may also be provided with two outer jaw sections 80.

In each of the modified forms of my mvention shown in Figs. 642 the rear central part of the shirt waist is folded or doubled around the lower edge of the supporting plate and clamped against the inner and outer sides of the same by means of the substantially U-shaped clamp, and the skirt is supported by means of hooks arranged on the upper edge of the skirtand engaging with the upper edge of the supporting plate in substantially the same manner as has been described with reference to the construction shown in Figs. 1-5.

This garment fastener consist of a minimum number of parts and can be readily applied to the shirt waist in any desired position without necessitating any sewing or pinning operation as is usually the case with fasteners of this character as heretofore constructed.

Furthermore, this fastener can be easily and quickly adjusted after the waist is on the body of the wearer and its members are not liable to separate and let down the skirt after the parts have been once assembled. It is not always possible to accurately determine the waistline of a shirt waist when the same is olf the body owing to the manner in which the waist is made or some peculiarity in its construction. By the use of this invention a woman can adjust the garment fastener accurately and securely to suit any garment after the same is fastened about the waist.

Garment fasteners which require a casing to be sewed on the waist for receiving the fastener are often too high above the waist line due to shrinkage after the fabric has been washed and therefore necessitates shifting the casing in order to bring the garment fastener into the proper position. This objection is avoided in the use of my improved garment fastener by reason of the readiness with which it can be shifted to any desired part of the shirt waist.

If the shirt waist is finished with a band at the bottom my improved garment fastener may be attached thereto before or after the shirt waist is put on the body.

In the use of my improved garment fastener the-shirt waist is gripped for a'considen able distance across the back and will reliably hold the supporting plate and the skirt supported thereon in place even if only one of the locking lips is in use.

Owing to the simplicity of the construction of this garment fastener the same can be produced expeditiously and at comparatively low cost,

:"Iclaim asmy invention:

l. A garment fastener comprising a plate adapted to carry a skirt, and a clamp adapt- 'supporting plate and adapted to securea part of the shirt waist to said plate in a position in which a part of the shirt wai-st is doubled upwardly around the lower edge of said plate.

3. A garment fastener comprising a supporting plate adapted to be applied around a shirt waist and having an upper edge on which a skirt is adapted to be supported and a lower edge around which a part of the shirt waist is adapted to be folded upwardly and a clamp which is substantially U-shaped in cross section and forms inner and outer 'aws which are adapted to engage with the fo ded portion of the waist on the inner and outer sides of said plate.

4. A garment fastener comprising a supporting plate adapted to be applied around a shirt waist and having an upper edge on which a skirt is adapted to be supported, a lower edge around which a part of the shirt waist is adapted to be folded upwardly and an opening between the upper andA lower edges of said plate, and a clamp of substantially U-shaped cross section adapted to embrace the lower edge of said plate and having inner and outer jaws adapted to engage with the folded parts of said waist on the inner and outer sides of said plate and said inner jaw having a projection extending into the opening of said plate.

5. A garment fastener comprising a lsupporting plate adapted to be applied around a shirt waist and having an upper edge on which a skirt is adapted to be supported, a lower edge around whicha part of the shirt lwaist is adapted to be folded upwardly and a longitudinal slot between the upper and lower edges of said plate, and a clamp of' substantially U-shaped cross section Aadapted to embrace the lower edge of said plate and having an outer jaw adapted to engage with the folded part of the waist on the outer side of said plate, an inner jaw adapted to engage with that part of said waist on the inner side of said plate, a lip projecting outwardly from the upper edge of said inner jaw into engagement with the lower side of said slot, and a guard flange projecting upwardly from the upper end of said lip.

6. As an article of manufacture, a garment fastener comprising a supporting plate adapted to support a skirt, and a clamp adapted to frictionally embrace a portion of said supporting plate with a part of a shirt edto embracea part of said'plate with a waist clamped between the two, said plate and clamp being both detached from the skirt.

7. Asan article of manufacture, a garment fastener, comprising two cooperating members, one of said members being provided wth means to retain the same against a shirt waist and being' adapted to have a portion of the shirt ywaist .folded around the same, the other member serving asa clampto embrace the lower portion of the vfirst-mentioned member and the folded portion of the shirt waist. d

NORA C. EDWARDS.

Copiesfofthis patent may beobtained yfor ve cents each, by addressing the ommissioner of Patente.

Washington, D. EJ. l Y 

